Tru Nail Lounge — Local services in Seattle

I came to this nail salon the past Saturday to get the previous builder gel I did on myself removed and get new builder gel nails on my natural long nails.

The lady working on my nails assured me that I would be able to get a new builder gel set so she proceeded to remove the previous builder gel. She was incredibly rough with the drill bit as she removed the builder gel. She often wasn’t looking right where she was removing and often times I tried to remove my hand cause of the heat that was being caused from drilling in the same spot for too long. Instead of apologizing or giving it a moment she grabbed my hand back and proceeded to file recklessly and incredibly too fast.

By the time she removed the builder gel my nails were noticeably weaker and brittle, in which she proceeded to say that she couldn’t do builder gels and that my nails are too weak so we should cut them off. I agree, but that’s because she was so rough with the removal that they weren’t strong enough for builder gel. I’ve been growing my long nails for the past 8 months and was very irritated that because I went to a salon who doesn’t prioritize nail health I had to lose the long nails I’ve spent so long taking care of. So instead we did gel x nails.

I honestly should’ve walked out the moment I saw her pull out drill bits that were obviously dirty. The brushes, bits, and files they were using were not cleaned prior to me, let alone maybe even that day. It’s disgusting.

I understand that they were busy, still it’s unacceptable to be using dirty tools on clients.

At this point I didn’t think it could get any worse but it did. I was passed along to another nail tech and he was significantly rougher. He had no regard for my cuticles, and the lady who applied the gel x nails didn’t do any cuticle prep so the gel x nails were glued along my cuticles into the proximal nail fold. He attempted to separate my cuticles from the nails by digging his unwashed, un-gloved , hands and nails into my cuticles which was incredibly painful. I told him it was painful and it hurt and he proceeded to continue before then filing in the same area.

He cut me multiple times and didn’t even seem to care or notice that he did. When he went back in to drill close to my cuticle he cut the same spot he previously cut and that time I yanked my hand away and told him to be careful cause he already cut me. He mumbled okay, but again no apologies and no care about nail health.

I should’ve gotten up and walked out but I was afraid of causing a scene.

I walked out in pain and paid $20 for a careless gel removal and $90 for gel x nails with French tip that wasn’t even that good.

Come here if you want mediocre nails, at the cost of unsanitary tools and care for nail health and proper nail prep.

I could’ve spent the same $120 to go to my independent nail tech who I usually go to, and this is the last time I’ll ever make that...

NEVER AGAIN! I actually got up and left. That’s a first for me. Where do I start?

Cleanliness/safety: 0/5… it was filthy. The workstation is covered in grime with food spills on it and the individual lamp is covered in grime and there is actual food on the back of the chair where I am supposed to sit along with food spills on the walls all behind the workstations and damage from chairs being rammed into the walls and there are holes and expose electrical and the towel appeared dirty…no licenses displayed

Services: 0/5 I naturally grow long nails so I get a simple manicure and paint them myself…as soon as I sat down the employee grabbed clippers and cut my nails off completely on my right hand and then asked “ok?”…ummm…I guess it has to be cuz my length is GONE

Friendliness: -2/5 **note that I gave them a NEGATIVE TWO out of five…wtf happened here? I have lived in several south east Asian countries and taught EFL. I know how to connect nonverbally and I have a lot of ease being respectful of cultural differences but not one person said one word to me other than the words “OK” and “last station”…the twenty-something woman who answered the phone when I called took a call while I was there and spoke fluent English yet when I arrived I didn’t even get a hello…she just waved me down towards the workstations.::all of the employees spoke only their native language without any eye contact with me even when I tried to smile and acknowledge the work - this never happened to me once while living abroad…these people were just plain horrible

Comfort: 0/5 the chairs are awful…if you sit back so you can be comfortable then the employee can’t reach your hand…you have to perch up on the edge during your entire service…they were selected for looks with no thought to the customers comfort

I finally extracted my hands, paid, and left....

If u could provide no stars I would. This place is not consistent. I've gone to them two or three times and the last time was the final straw for me. I went in asking for a full set with a colored French tip. I left happy with my service. They had at the time a 20% off all services (still on going I believe). Well this was probably my mistake but I didn't check to see how much I was charged and I always tip 20% so I checked out without checking my total. I was looking through my bank transactions the following day to notice a $80 charge. Now I'm not sure how they broke down the pricing but when I called she said she was charging me $44 for a full set and $20 for requesting a French? I was extremely confused and asked to have this fixed. Over the phone she said come in and she can resolve it. I can in probably two business days after and she said she can't refund me the $20 or the tip...eventually we got on the phone with the owner of the place who said OK no problem and that they would refund me the full amount and I can tip 20% + $35 charge for the full set. When I was about to wrap up she said again she's not refunding me for her time??? And I was so mad at this point that she was YELLING at me in front of everyone at the salon. She handed me a $20 -- which was NOT what we agreed to. I left the money on the table and left. This place is extremely unprofessional and I encourage anyone that decides to go (due to limited nail salons in West Seattle) to be clear on how much you will be charged for the service you ask. The one girl does a great job; so it's unfortunate that they are under...